So I couldn’t help myself. I was totally against the Knitting Olympics, then Trek mentioned the Sock Team just as Lu mentioned Team Italy and I had to join in. (I’m also [un?]officially in the Special Knitting Olympics, and I’ll start a different project for that. I’m in it for the hugs at the end.) I’ll be knitting, or attempting to, Jaywalkers in that time period. I’m going to use my Knit Picks Sock Garden in Geranium, my Lorna’s Laces red/black, my new Opal sock yarn, or my red Cascade Fixation. That way it will count for my Knitting Olympics submission, Sock-A-Month, 200Sox, and Red Hot Sizzling Socks KALs. How’s that for Multitasking?

In the meantime I’m “training” with the shawl I have due at the LYS. I also need to be studying for my broker’s exam which is Saturday, and I believe my shawl is due then too. Damn! Anyway, here is my progress so far:

Now off to “study” at the gym … (which means read the gossip magazines.)

This is definitely my week! You have got to see what my Secret Pal (7) sent me:

Can you believe this? Gorgeous red and black Opal sock yarn (if I hadn’t bought that Sassenach yarn last week this would be the most gorgeous sock yarn ever), Knit Picks Shimmer, lots of chocolate (I think, it disappeared really quickly 😉 ), a Plumeria candle, some Tazo tea (I should make some right now!), Knitting Around by the famous E.Z. (I’ve got to start that Pi Are Square shawl soon!) and yes, you saw correctly, a gorgeous Lantern Moon project bag and extra-gorgeous Lantern Moon dpns!!! Talk about spoiling a person! Thank you so much, Secret Pal!

Of course I had to try out the dpns right away, so I cast on for a pair of Broadripples in my Sock it to Me Esprit. I don’t know how this yarn compares with Fixation but if you screw something up it is really hard to find the stitch to fix it. However, you can’t fault the gorgeous, decadent dpns!

I’m on a roll! I finished up A.Lo’s Banana Fish sweater last night. It ended up being my own cable/wave design with set in plain sleeves and used up 3 skeins of my Cotton Ease stash (does that put me down to 4 skeins?):

I have been eyeing this book since it came out. Guess what I’m going to work on first:

I just love backseamed stockings. That’s basically what I was going for with my tattoos and back when they weren’t that popular (that is, only in certain circles) I used to be asked if my tattoos were part of my stockings. Anyway, I’m excited.

I’m also in a finishing mode. I am planning exactly 23 more rows on my Katrina Rib and then I’m calling it done. Here is how it looks now:

Just a few more rows (I keep telling myself), sleeve finishing and I’m done!

I was questionable when I got done knitting, but it finished so well and my LYS’ owner was very impressed! I was sad to hear the fingerless mitts had been given to someone else to do, but this project will be much better (and pay more!):

It’s a garter stitch shawl with a short row edging that makes a ruffle, in Schaeffer Anne. I’ve been interested in trying out the Schaeffer yarn, and this is a perfect chance!

And of course I couldn’t leave the store without a purchase, so I bought one more skein of Mountain Colors Mountain Goat in Ruby River so I can make something soon!

I also got two packages today. I ordered this from Sassenach yarns on Etsy.com and I consider it the most gorgeous sock yarn ever:

And I got two cute stitch markers with it too! I also got my Kpixie order, including these from Bartlett Yarns:

and of course when I heard No No Kitty was no more, I had to buy this sock yarn, even though I’m not sure it will make a whole pair:

I (along with many other knitters, I think) am going sock crazy this year. I have ordered lots of sock yarn to go with the approximately 17 skeins of sock yarn I already have (a small sock yarn stash, I know) and many sock books. I’m still working on Peaks N Valleys, and next on my list is Broadripples (the Jaywalkers of 2003) and I want to make up a few patterns of my own.

I stopped by my new LYS today and got one more skein of Kureyon for the Lotorp Bag. I ran out just before finishing the body of the bag (less than 1/6 to go) and still had the strap to do and finishing. I’ll definitely have it finished by tomorrow, even though the owner didn’t seem all that pressed this week that I have it done when she said it was due last week. I guess I’ve impressed upon her that I’m not just out to take the yarn and run …

Speaking of which, I got a Lion Brand catalog in the mail today and was remarking to a friend of mine that it had a price tag on it of $5 and it was just like the Victoria’s Secret catalog. When I used to work at Victoria’s Secret in the late ’80s, they would display the catalog and people thought it was free, but we were supposed to charge for it. My friend said something about the Victoria’s Secret catalog being not just about shopping (for the men, if you get my drift), and suggested that people don’t look at a yarn catalog that way! I’m sure there are some of us out there that use a yarn catalog (maybe Kpixie, though, not Lion Brand, but you do need your cheap thrills sometimes 😉 ) not as it was intended, right?